The Case Study of Sherlock Holmes (2009) - Scholarly Commons ...

The common picture of Holmes is of a square-jawed, well-off, middle-aged,
stuffy do-gooder who lives with an elderly, slightly befuddled roommate in a
quaint London apartment . . . Holmes comes off as a bit of a prig – stern,
cold, scientific and humourless. And always running around in an odd cape
and funny hat. (Doyle & Crowder, 2010, p. 10)
In terms of Sherlock Holmes (2009) a “common picture” (Doyle & Crowder, 2010, p.
10) remains. Due to the film‟s ideological modernisation, Holmes has been remade into
the “common picture” of today‟s leading action heroes. Co-producer, Lionel Wigram, in
defending Holmes‟s action-packed reimaging, stated that he “never agreed with the idea
of the fairly stuffy Edwardian-type gentleman” and that his “[reinvention]” was “more
modern [and] more bohemian” (as cited in Redmond, 2009, p. 242). Sherlock Holmes
(2009), in its characterisation of Holmes, features the ideology of the hero and modern
masculinity. For modern audiences it appears that brains require brawn; this theory is
seen in the transformation of James Bond in the 2006 remake of Casino Royale (2006)
and the resurgence of the action franchise, seen in both the new additions to the Die
Hard (1988) and Rocky (1976) franchise, Live Free or Die Hard (2007) and Rocky
Balboa (2006). In terms of Sherlock Holmes (2009), the central friendship of Holmes
and Watson is represented through their physical partnership when fighting crime.
Similarly, the film‟s comedic moments are created through playing off Holmes‟s
masculinity with madness, domestic banter, and gay innuendos. Also in relation to
Holmes‟s relationship with Irene Adler, he first sees her while fighting and winning a
boxing match. The humour therefore generated later in the film is seen in a role reversal
of sorts, whereby she overpowers and intimidates him on occasion. While Holmes‟s
masculinity is used to generate action and comedy, transforming him into the “common
picture” (Doyle & Crowder, 2010, p. 10) of the modern hero, there is actually nothing
modern about it. In fact, Holmes as a man of action harkens back to the silent era of
cinema (Davies, 2007). Davies (2007) believes silent films “robbed Sherlock Holmes of
his greatest attribute – his verbal demonstrations of intellectual superiority and
deductive brilliance” (p. 15). However, in the greater scheme of fan cultivation, the
ideology behind the modern masculine hero is easily accessible to the general viewer,
even if Holmes‟s depiction does not stay true to his Edwardian sensibilities, Holmes
need only reflect his audience to garner popularity.
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